James Forsyth in The Spectator (HERE) warns against signing up to any trade deal that, as he puts it, ties one hand behind our back as we set out on our bright post Brexit future. He spells out for us Michel Barnier's explicit warning that if we believe divergence from EU norms means tax competition with the EU, then as M Barnier says, "everything is over". He seems to think the EU's chief negotiator was just engaging in a bit of bluff.
Mr Forsyth thinks Brexit is a chance to remove "constraints" that prevents us "doing our own thing" believing that this brings extra competition and so helps innovation and free trade. To him divergence in regulatory standards between us and the EU is a desirable thing.
He talks about regulatory "nimbyism" with ministers becoming too fond of EU regulations in their own sphere and only in favour of scrapping regulations which affect other departments. He obviously does not know what he is talking about. Like John Longworth he rails against EU regulations without ever really telling us which of the laws designed to provide safe, clean environments and to stop workers and consumers being exploited he would like to get rid of.
He is 100% wrong. Competition is a good thing but only if there is social progress as well. If states compete on tax policy, health and safety or labour standards then we are on the road back to the workhouses of Victorian England. Goods will be much cheaper but never quite cheap enough for the impoverished and exploited workers living in squalor.
EU regulations provide a minimum level and don't stifle innovation or enterprise. Many, as Richard Corbett says, emanate from the UN or WTO or other world body. We will have to comply anyway with regulations setting standards for exports to the EU and we will find most of the regulations are well written, logical and worth keeping whatever happens.
The EU encourages fair competition and innovation. It doesn't stifle them at all. And if anyone believes it is in our interests to reject a trade deal with the EU (which will certainly limit our freedom to "do our own thing" - see HERE) then they are seriously mistaken.
